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BRANFORD POLICE RELEASE IDENTITY OF HOMICIDE SUSPECT

Monday, April 26th, 2010 3:38pm UTC

Lishan Wang

 

The suspect in the homicide that occurred this morning at 255 Blueberry Lane is identified as Lishan Wang (DOB 1/23/1966) with a last known address of 3546 South East River Heights Crossing Marietta, Georgia. Wang is a Chinese National from Beijing.

Wang was taken into custody for the homicide of Vajinder Pal Toor M.D. Dr. Toor was affiliated with Yale University as a postdoctoral fellow, however there is no connection between the assailant and the victim that relates to the victim’s employment at Yale.

Chief John DeCarlo said, “Our agency is looking at a number of motives for this homicide. One is the possibility that Dr. Toor and Lishan Wang had a previous working relationship at a hospital in New York. We are unsure of the extent of their interactions at this time.”

Wang is being charged with Murder, Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder, Weapons In a Motor Vehicle, Carrying a Handgun without a Permit, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm. Wang is being held on a $2,000,000.00 bond.

Homicide Update

Monday, April 26th, 2010 12:03pm UTC

Today at approximately 7:50 a.m. Branford Police were notified of gunshots and a possible shooting outside of 255 Blueberry Lane in the Meadows Condominiums. Citizens provided police with detailed information concerning a possible suspect and a vehicle that was fleeing the area.

Officer Joseph Peterson stopped the vehicle in the vicinity of the shooting and the lone suspect was taken into custody. Evidence in plain view within the vehicle preliminarily linked the suspect to the shooting.

Officers arriving at Blueberry Lane located the victim, Vajinder Pal Toor (DOB 11-22-75), who had been shot multiple times while in the parking near his residence. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by Branford Fire Department paramedics. The victim was an M.D. working with the infectious disease section of Yale-New Haven Hospital. Chief John DeCarlo said that “Branford Police have determined that the shooting was not random and has no connection to the Yale community.”

During the investigation it was also determined that the victim’s wife had also been shot at however was unharmed.

Detective Lt. William Carroll, who is heading the investigation, said “Our detectives will be working closely with members of the Connecticut State Police Major Crime to piece this homicide together.”

Chief John DeCarlo credits the swift apprehension to the callers who provided such detailed information. “Although our officers are very skilled at what they do, it’s the continued support and cooperation of the public that make these types of investigations successful.” The Chief continued, “Our agency and grief counselors from the Branford Counseling Center are working closely with the victim’s family.”

The assailant, a Chinese National, whose identity is being withheld at this time, will be charged with Murder and Criminal attempt to Commit Murder. Branford Police indicated that there is no danger to the public at this time.

Homicide in Branford

Monday, April 26th, 2010 11:42am UTC

A man was shot to death this morning @8:00am just outside of his home on Blueberry Lane. The man is reported to be a Doctor at Yale New Haven Hospital, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man was taken into custody a short distance from the scene on Brushy Plain Rd. Police report this subject is the alleged shooter. Branford Police have called the Connecticut State Police major Crime Squad in for assistance.

The Police Department also sent out a phone message to area residents telling them that they are safe as this appears to be an isolated incident.

BRANFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESS RELEASE

Friday, April 2nd, 2010 8:37am UTC

BRANFORD POLICE LOCATE LOST TODDLER AT 2:OO A.M. – PARENT LOCATED

At approximately 2:00am this morning the Branford Police received a call from a motorist who located a boy approximately 3 years old sitting on the on the curb at the intersection of Peddlers Drive and Florence Rd.  The boy was lost and unable to provide officers with any information in regarding his last name, where he lives or his parent’s name.

Officers were initially unable to locate the parents, however this morning at 7:25 a.m. officers located the home where the child was visiting after knocking on resident’s doors.

Officers determined that the child and his mother were visiting from Washington DC and the child was sleeping at the uncle’s house for a sleep over with his cousins.  The mother has been contacted.

Because of the nature of the investigation, the identity of the child will not be released by police. In addition the child is in the custody of DCF until a positive identification has been made.

BRANFORD POLICE ANNOUNCE THIRD CITIZENS’ POLICE ACADEMY

Thursday, March 25th, 2010 11:50am UTC

The Branford Police Department will be holding its third citizen’s police academy from April 20, 2010 to June 29, 2010.

The Citizens’ Police Academy will consist of selected Branford citizens who are interested in learning how the police department operates and the policing challenges the department faces. The selected participants will commit to at least two hours, one night per week, for ten weeks to learn different facets of the department as well as one additional four hour ride along. Graduates of the course will not be police officers or vigilantes, but rather, they will be better informed citizens with a vastly improved insight into law enforcement and the Branford Police Department. The police academy concept is designed to build community support and confidence, bridge mutual understanding, and to let the community know that the police department is a function of town government that exists to serve the public in a vast number of ways and means.

Instructors are officers and personnel from the department who speak on their area of expertise as well as guest speakers. Subjects will include, History of Policing, Constitutional and Criminal Law, Accident Investigation, Forensics & Crime Scene Processing, CompStat and Crime Analysis, Special Units in the Department, Use of Force, Patrol Procedures and a Ride-Along Program.

“The Citizens’ Police Academy has been very successful for our community and our agency.” said Chief John DeCarlo, “It gets back to the basic policing principle that the ‘Police are the public, and the public are the police.’”

Participants must be 18 years of age or older. They must be residents of the Town of Branford, business owners in town, or otherwise have a vested interest in the town. Applications can be picked up at the Branford police department and must be submitted by Tuesday, April 13, 2010.

Fire in Guilford, CT

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 1:16pm UTC

Guilford Firefighters are currently battling a fully involved structure fire on Chestnut Grove Rd, in the area of number 54. The Guilford Fire Department has requested mutual aid from Madison, Branford, and North Branford Fire. Early reports are that the house is already to the ground. Upon dispatch numerous reports of heavy black smoke could be seen for miles. There are also water issues in the area.

BRANFORD POLICE CAUTION ELDERLY ABOUT SCAM POSING AS U.S. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL

Thursday, March 11th, 2010 3:19pm UTC

The Branford Police Department wants to make its senior citizen community aware of a scam where the caller identifies himself as a “U.S. Customs Official”.

The elderly woman’s neighbor made the report to police after she learned that her neighbor received a call from a man who identified himself as Alex Johnson. Johnson told the elderly woman he was from U.S. Customs and that the woman had won a lottery. He directed the woman make a $2,300 Western Union transfer to him so that she could collect her lottery winnings. Johnson further instructed the woman, “Not to tell anyone what she was doing and if asked when making the withdrawal of cash to say it was for tuition.”

Detective Lieutenant William Carroll said that this was the second incident that the elderly woman had been contacted. When the first incident occurred, the caller said he was from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Carroll said the caller’s number (647-377-7467) is registered as a Bell Mobility Wireless cell phone in Toronto Ontario, Canada. Carroll also said that the woman sustained no loss of money.

Chief John DeCarlo said that he is concerned for the senior citizen community. “These offenders continually try to prey on our seniors as they see them as someone who can easily be victimized.” said the Chief. “We have partnered with banking professionals and our Senior Citizen Center staff to establish the TRIAD program. The program is designed educate our seniors about these types of crimes and scams.”

Victims of these types of crimes should contact their local police.

BRANFORD WOMAN ARRESTED FOR EMBEZZLEMENT OF COMPANY FUNDS

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 10:24pm UTC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 24, 2010

The Branford Police Department’s Detective Division arrested Deanna Steward (DOB 7/10/197) of 252 Leetes Island Road Unit 5 today on an arrest warrant charging Steward with Larceny First Degree and Criminal Impersonation.

The investigation began in November 2009 when Oxley Inc. of Branford contacted the police department when they suspected Steward, who was their bookkeeper of embezzling company funds.

Detective Ryan Tobin, who investigated Oxley’s complaint said that the funds were discovered missing by the company’s president and their accountant during an internal audit. “An arrest warrant was issued this week for Steward after we recovered evidence and information while executing search warrants for both her bank accounts and her home that directly linked her to these crimes.” said Detective Tobin.

Detective Lieutenant William Carroll, who heads the Detective Division, said that Detective Tobin discovered Steward had been convicted in 2003 for a similar incident that occurred in Madison.

Steward was held on a $50,000.00 bond and was arraigned in New Haven Court.

Deanna Steward